Activity in the UK construction sector was down 10.1% in the year to July, according to research carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Taking the three months of May to July, output was also down by 10% on the same three months a year ago, and new work decreased by 14%.

The volume of new infrastructure work decreased by 24%. New public housing decreased by 22.5% and new public other work (excluding infrastructure) decreased by 21.5%.

Three sectors showed slight positive growth; infrastructure repair & maintenance, private industrial new work and private non-housing.

But the ONS said that it was important to bear in mind that May's activity was higher than usual because a bank holiday was moved to June.

In June there were two extra days' holiday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, leaving output unusually depressed.

The ONS said that it was worth noting that the volume of construction output increased by 2.2% between June and July 2012, when the country returned to normal working patterns.